Flat knitting machine



' April 2 K. R. LIEBERKNECHT 2,195,872

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 102 v 108 1 48 54 v 106 104 50 Go oo 00 24 o 0 I r O0 23 in- O \l o o Q 56 64 If was mentor Q WWW April Q- K. R. LIEB'ERKNECHT 2,195,872

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Witness April 1940- K. R LIE BERKNECHT 2,195,872

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE .Filed May 6, 1957 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Winess' April 2, 1940; i K. R. LIELBEBKNECHT 2, 2

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 6, #1937 4 SheetsSheet 4 Patented Apr. 2, 19.40

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Application May 6, 1937, Serial No. 141,005

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to flat knitting machines and more particularly to narrowing mechanisms therefor.

At the beginning of a knitting operation, the

narrowing points are set at their outermost positions and, at proper times as the operation proceeds, they are racked inwardly; usually by automatic operation of the narrowing spindles under the control of a pattern mechanism. At the end of the set, the narrowing points are manually restored to their initial positions in readiness for the next knitting operation. As a preliminary to manual resetting, it is necessary to disengage the automatic racking devices. In some machines, of which the preferred form of the present invention is an example, corresponding narrowing operations on several sections are performed by a plurality of spindles which are operated independently but in synchronism. Since these spindles are disposed over widely separated sections of the machine, it requires considerable time todisengage both racking mechanisms and reset the spindles independently.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means automatically operated at the end of a set for disengaging the automatic spindle operating devices and thereby to permit convenient manual resetting of the narrowing points.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a machine having multiple independently operated spindles, common manual resetting means by which the spindles can be restored to initial position in a single operation after the automatic operating devices have been disengaged.

With these and other objects in view, aswill hereinafter appear, the present invention comprises the knitting machine hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a knitting machine embodying the features of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the narrowing rods showing the plurality of spindles for operating the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the spindles and associated operating mechanism therefor; Fig. 4 is a plan view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 3 illustrating the operation of the pattern mechanism; 'Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are details to be referred to; and Fig. '8 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of a spindle and the narrowing rods associated therewith.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a flat knitting machine having a pair of wide narrowing fingers and a pair of small narrowing fingers for each section. In Fig. 8 there are shown a wide narrowing finger l0 and a small finger I2 for one section and a wide finger I3 and a small finger l4 for the next adjacent section. Each of these fingers is provided 5 with narrowing points of usual form. The arrangement of the narrowing points shown in Fig. 8 is for the purpose of diamond point narrowing, as described in general in the Lieberknecht Patent No. 1,935,406, dated November 14, 1933. The fingers Ill and 13 are attached to reciprocating narrowing rods l6 and I8, respectively, and the fingers l2 and II are attached to rods 20 and 22, respectively. Corresponding fingers for the different sections are attached to the severallb narrowing rods in the usual manner. As shown in Fig. 2, the narrowing rods l6 and I8 extend only half-way across the machine and an additional set of rods l6 and I8 are provided for .the other half of the machine in order to minimize difllculties of misalignment due to uneven expansion and contraction of the metal under varying temperature conditions.

The spindle mechanism for operating the rods l6 and I8 is indicated generally at 23 and the spindle mechanism for operating the rods l6 and I8 is indicated at 23' in Fig. 2. The spindle mechanisms 23.and 23' are preferably disposed near opposite ends of the machine, and are operated independently, but in synchronism, with each other. A single spindle mechanism (not shown) is provided for the narrowing rods 20 and 22 which operate the small narrowing fingers of all sections. The invention is not limited to the particular arrangement of narrowing points disclosed herein but may be employed in connection with a machine having only a single set of narrowing fingers for each sectionl The invention will be described in detail as applied to the mechanism 23 for the rods I B and I8 only.

- The spindle mechanism 23 comprises a versely threaded spindle 24 journaled in bearlugs 26, 28 which are secured to the usual narrowing shaft 30. Also'secured to the shaft 30 are the narrowing rod brackets 32 in which the various narrowing rods are adapted to reciprocate. Mounted on opposite ends of the spindle are the usual nuts 33 and 34 arranged to travel toward or from each other in the customary 5o the connection between the projection 40 and the narrowing rod I6 comprises a stop 44 connected to the rod and a spring 46 attached to the stop member andthe projection. A similar construction is provided to connect the projection 42 with the narrowing rod I8. The narrowing rods 20 and 22 for the small fingers are similarly connected with the spindle mechanism therefor at another part of the machine.

The spindle 24 is automatically racked during the normal knitting operation by means of a forward motion ratchet 48 and its pawl 50 and a back motion ratchet 52 and its pawl 54. The

pawls 52 and 54 are operated by suitable linkage indicated generally at 56 connecting through a bell crank 58 with a cam roll 60 which normally rides on a disk 62 on the cam shaft 64, but at proper times, under the action of the shogging motion, is brought into operative engagement with a suitable-narrowing cam. The back-racking pawl 54 is provided with a pin 64 adapted at times to ride on a lifter plate 66 operated in the manner described in the above-mentioned patent to permit single-index back-racking or to render the back-racking pawl ineffective.

The spindle is adapted to be rotated manually by means of a crank 68 connecting through bevel gears I with a shaft I2 which in turn connects through spur gears I4 with the spindle 24. The shaft I2 extends across the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, for connection with the spindle mechanism 23 whereby both mechanisms may be simultaneously operated by hand. The crank 68 permits manual resetting of the spindles to initial position after the completion of a knitting operation.

According to the present invention, there are provided automatic means for disengaging the pawls 50 and 54 from their respective ratchets 48 and 52 at the end of the knitting operation so that the spindles may be immediately reset by hand through the crank 68 and without the necessity of manually disengaging the pawls. This is accomplished by a lifter plate I6 mounted on the spindle, and adapted, when turned into the position of Fig. 7, to engage pins I8 and 80 protruding sidewise from the pawls 50 and 54, respectively. This operation of the lifter plate disengages the pawls from the ratchet and permits the spindle to be manually rotated in either direction. The lifter plate is operated by a link 82 connected with a bell crank 84 which is pivoted on the narrowing machine arm. The other arm of the bell crank is connected by a link 85 with a bell crank 88 pivoted on a bracket 90 attached to the back beam of the machine. The upper arm of the bell cranks 88, as shown in Fig. 3, is connected by a rod 92 with the arm of a bell crank 94 pivoted at a suitable place on another bracket attached to the back beam. -'I'he rod 32 connects not only with the bell crank 88 and link 86 for the spindle mechanism 23 herein specificallv described, but also with a similar bell crank 88' supported on bracket 90 and link 86' associated with the other spindle mechanism 23' which is to be placed under manual control at the same time.

The bell crank 94 which controls the pawl lifter through the connections described above is connected by a vertical link 96 with one arm of a bell crank lever 98, the free arm of which is formed as a cam follower I00. The cam follower I 00 is operated by cam I02 mounted on a shaft I04 suitably journaled in the machine frame. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the cam comprises a central flange to which suitable cam segments I may be attached for controlling the operation of the follower. In the particular construction 11- lustrated, the cam is provided with segments giving a uniform diameter over the greater portion of the circumference and a low portion I08 into which the follower drops at the end of a knitting operation. When the follower drops into the section I08, it operates through the various linkages to rotate the lifter plate I6 clockwise, thereby disengaging the racking pawls from their ratchets.

The cam I02 is operated from the pattern mechanism which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, includes the intermittently operated pattern chain IIII which is employed in the customary manner for operating the various automatic mechanisms of the machine. The chain has a series of bumps or buttons, one of which is indicated at II2, arranged to actuate a bell crank lever II4, the vertical leg of which is connected by a link I IS with another bell crank lever H8, the latter being in turn connected by a horizontal link I20 with a bell crank lever I22. A yielding connection, as indicated by the spring I24, is provided between the link I20 and the bell crank I22. Upon actuation by a bump of the pattern chain, the bell crank I22 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, to move a rod I26 to the right. The rod I26 carries a forked arm I28 engaging a collar on a stud I30. The stud I30 carries a cam roll I32 which, upon movement of the fork I28 to the right, is brought into operative relation with a cam I34 on the cam shaft 64. The stud is journaled at the end of a lever I36 pivoted on a bracket I38, and the other endof the lever is connected by a vertical link I 40 with a pawl I42 associated with a ratchet I44 on the shaft I04. Actuation of the bell crank II4 through a button on the pattern chain therefore lifts the link I40 and advances the ratchet I44 one tooth. Since the shaft I04 carries the lifter control cam I02, the latter is advanced with the ratchet.

In a knitting operation, as for example in the manufacture of full-fashioned stockings on a multiple section machine, the narrowing fingers are racked automatically at the proper times by the ratchets 4B and 52. After the end of a set, the narrowing points are to bereset manually through the crank 58 to their initial positions in readiness for the next knitting operation. To facilitate manual resetting, the pattern mechanism operates through the connections above described to actuate the pawl lifter 18, thereby disengaging the racking pawls 50 and 54 from their respective ratchets. The devices herein described provide for automatic disengagement of the pawls at the proper time so that the operator is free at any time thereafter to reset the narrowing points manually. This constitutes an important advantage" particularly when the machine has two or more spindles disposed at separated points of the machine.

The construction of the pattern mechanism with relation to the ratchet I 44 is preferably such that the ratchet is advanced exactly one complete revolution for a complete knitting operation. The cam I02 may therefore be adjusted so that at the end of the set, the follower I00 is in the low part I08 of the cam. Upon resumption of the knitting operation for the next set, the racking pawls are for a time disengaged, but this is unimportant since there is usually no occasion for narrowing near the start of the set. After the knitting operation has proceeded for a time,

the follower I00 rides on the high part of the -cam, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby permitting the racking pawls to engage their ratchets and to be placed under the usual automatic controls. For

the purposes of the present invention, the movement of the ratchet I is not important except that it should make .one complete revolution for a single set and accordingly, the bumps I I2 on the pattern chain may be distributed in any manner to accomplish this result.- The intermediate steps of the ratchet may, however, be utilized for other purposes, as for example, in the selvage stop controls described in the copending application of Spindler, filed July 10, 1937, Serial No. 152,955 and the relation of the pattern chain may be related to the ratchet in such a manner as to accomplish such-other results, as well as to disengage the racking pawls as described herein.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. Spindle mechanism for flat knitting machines comprising a spindle, automatic racking means therefor, manual operating means for the spindle normally ineffective when the automatic racking means is engaged, a control ratchet, pattern mechanism to advance the control ratchet intermittently during the knitting operation, and

means controlled by advance of the ratchet to a predetermined position to disengage the auto-' matic racking means to permit manual operation of the spindle.

2. Spindle mechanism for flat knitting machines comprising a spindle, automatic racking means therefor, manual operating means for the spindle normally ineffective when the automatic racking means is engaged, a control ratchet, pattern mechanism to advance the control ratchet intermittently during the knitting operation, a cam rotated by the ratchet, a cam follower therefor, and means actuated by the follower after a predetermined rotation of the cam to disengage the automatic racking means to permit manual operation of the spindle.

3. Spindle mechanism for flat knitting machines comprising a spindle, automatic racking means therefor, manual operating means for the spindle normally ineffective when the automatic racking means is engaged, a control ratchet, pattern mechanism to advance the control ratchet intermittently during the knitting operation and arranged to rotate the ratchet one complete revolution for a complete knitting operation, and

means controlled by the ratchet at the end of a revolution to disengage the automatic racking means to permit manual operation of the spindle.

4. Spindle mechanism for flat knitting machines comprising a spindle, forward and back racking ratchets and pawls therefor, means for automatically operating the pawls, means for manually operating the spindle, a lifter for the pawls, a control ratchet, pattern mechanism to.

advance the control ratchet intermittently through a complete revolution during a knitting operation, andconnections between the ratchet and the pawl lifter to operate the latter at the end of a revolution and thereby to permit manual operation of the spindle.

5. Spindle mechanism for fiat knitting machines comprising a spindle, forward and back racking ratchets and pawls therefor, means for automatically operating the pawls, means for manually operating the spindle, a lifter for the pawls, a control ratchet, pattern mechanism to advance the control ratchet intermittently through a complete revolution during aknitting operation, a cam rotated by the ratchet, a follower for the cam, and connections between the follower and the pawl lifter to operate the latter at the end of a knitting operation and thereby to permit manual operation of the spindle.

6; In a multiple section flat knitting machine, having a plurality of narrowing rods each extending'over a portion only of the length of the machine, a plurality of spindles for the rods, and

. independent automatic racking devices therefor,

the combination of common manual operating means for the spindles, and means for simultaneously disengaging the automatic racking means of the several spindles to permit setting thereof by the common manual operating means.

7. In a multiple section fiat knitting machine,- having a plurality of narrowing rods each extending over a portion only of the length of the machine, a plurality'of spindles for the rods, and

independent automatic racking devices therefor,-

the combination of common manual operating means for the spindles, and means actuated at a point of the knitting operation for disengaging the automatic racking means of the several sp1n dles to permit setting thereof by the common manual operating means.

8. In a multiple section flat knitting machine, having a plurality of narrowing rods each extending over a portion only of the length of the machine, a plurality of spindles for the'rods, and

independent automatic racking devices therefor, the combination of common manual operating means for the spindles, pattern mechanism, and means controlled by the pattern mechanism at the end of a set for disengaging the automatic racking means of the several spindles to permit setting thereof by the common manual operating means.

of the machine, of common manual operating means for the spindles, a pattern mechanism for the machine, and connections from the pattern mechanism for simultaneous control of the spindle mechanisms to permit operation of the spindles by the manual means, said connections ineluding a rod extending lengthwise of the machine and control links associated with each of said spindle mechanisms operated by said rod.

KARL RICHARD LIEBERHN'ECH'I. 

